Dr. David R. Wood was born and raised in the State of Maine. Dr. Wood attended college at the University of Maine first in Augusta then Orono and was awarded a Bachelor of Zoology degree. He went on to attend Medical School at the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri graduating in 1980. Dr. Wood was accepted into the U.S. Army scholarship program (paid for Medical School).  Following Medical School, he was accepted at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas where he accomplished a rotating internship and a subsequent three-year residency training in Internal Medicine becoming Board Certified in 1984. From there Dr. Wood was assigned to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio serving in the Internal Medicine Clinic. He has also been leading author or contributor in the publication of several scientific papers.

Although Dr. Wood was brought up in a Christian home it wasn’t until 1985 in San Antonio that he made Jesus Lord and Savior.  He was married to Patricia (Patti) for over 53 years with three beautiful children.  Patti went on to Heaven in 2018 and the Lord subsequently blessed David with Donna Marie. Dr. Wood left the Army to establish a private practice of Internal Medicine in 1988 on the Southeast side of San Antonio. He retired from private practice at the end of March 2016 to pursue and follow the leadership of the Lord into another exciting chapter of life.  The Ministry was first ordained of God as Eastern Gate Ministries International a 501(c)3 in 2007.  In April-May 2023 the name of the Ministry by the leadership of the Holy Spirit was changed to Awake, Arise, and Triumph Ministries.  Dr. Wood started publishing The Three Minute Word in September 2013.  He has published seven books as of April 2023 all available on Amazon.